[at-l] Deep Gap between Elk Gardens & Mt. Rogers

[danandgailsc at aol.com (danandgailsc@aol.com)]

Over Memorial Day weekend, Gutsy & I had a nice 4-day backpacking trip from Damascus to Old Orchard Shelter and back to Damascus.  At Deep Gap there are signs as you approach from both directions:  "No camping within 500 feet of gap."  But just "A.T. south" of Deep Gap I saw a blue blazed trail leading to a slightly higher area that could well be a good campsite.  I almost went to check it out, but did not.  A horse trail also comes into Deep Gap, but stays about 100 yards distant "compass south" in the gap.  It runs from Rhododendrum Gap to Elk Gardens.
 
Hiking back to Damascus, we hiked the VA Creeper Trail the last 10 miles or so, from the high trestle bridge.  We camped almost directly under that bridge the last night.
 
Dan
 
Subject: Re: [at-l] More Va. AT questions...
Cc: at-l@backcountry.net
Message-ID: <42B5D4FC.2080302@smithville.net>
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Charles Copeland wrote:

>Is overnight parking at Elk Garden (North of Damascus, in between Whitetop and 
Mt Rogers) allowed?  Is the Deep Gap shelter north of the Elk Garden parking 
area still there?  I have one map that has the shelter there and another that 
doesn't.  The ALDHA Companion doesn't mention it.  If there is no shelter, is 
there a campsite there instead?
>

Parking is allowed there. And, I don't remember ever even hearing of a 
Deep Gap Shelter there. The first one north of EG is Thomas Knob to the 
best of my recollection. And, I remember not a campsite...but, I don't 
not remember one, either. Some pix of this section (from a few years 
ago) can be found at  http://felixhikes.tripod.com/AT/MtRogersTrip.html 
<http://felixhikes.tripod.com/AT/MtRogersTrip.html>
(you might have to type it in...)


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Message: 11
Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 16:36:57 -0400
From: Gary Ticknor <garyticknor@starpower.net>
Subject: Re: [at-l] More Va. AT questions...
To: Charles Copeland <charles@uswnet.com>
Cc: at-l@backcountry.net
Message-ID: <42B5D769.8080405@starpower.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Charles Copeland wrote:

>
>
>Is overnight parking at Elk Garden (North of Damascus, in between Whitetop and 
Mt Rogers) allowed?  
>

Several years ago I left my car there for 3 days on a section hike to 
Partnership shelter.

- Greenbriar


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Message: 12
Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 16:39:52 -0400
From: amy <askowronek@mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: [at-l] More Va. AT questions...
To: Charles Copeland <charles@uswnet.com>
Cc: at-l@backcountry.net
Message-ID: <79442afe65929f8ecf20bae7f99d0791@mindspring.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed


On Jun 19, 2005, at 4:18 PM, Charles Copeland wrote:

> Is overnight parking at Elk Garden (North of Damascus, in between 
> Whitetop and Mt Rogers) allowed?  Is the Deep Gap shelter north of the 
> Elk Garden parking area still there?  I have one map that has the 
> shelter there and another that doesn't.  The ALDHA Companion doesn't 
> mention it.  If there is no shelter, is there a campsite there 
> instead?
>
>

It is no longer there.  When I went through a few years ago there was a 
sign saying no camping where it had been, either.  A pity, it's a 
really pretty spot.

-joy